Indonesia eyes China's Macao, Hong Kong markets to boost tourism

Indonesia has planned to hold events to sell tour packages in China's Macao and Hong Kong on Dec 12 and Dec 14 respectively, aimed at further tapping significant potentialities from the two markets, a senior official of the country's Tourism Ministry said.

Deputy Minister for International Marketing Development at the ministry Gde Pitana said the ministry would send 11 sellers from Bali, Surabaya, Lombok, Jakarta, Sabang, North Sulawesi, Papua and Riau Isles in the two events.

Most of Indonesian sellers would highlight marine and undersea tours with several tour packages in Indonesia's prominent diving and snorkeling spots.

Besides Bali, tour packages to be offered for potential tourists in Macao and Hong Kong among others were Bunaken, Raja Amat, Mansuar Island, Mike's Point and Manta's point, would be offered in the two events.

"Indonesia has plenty of beautiful undersea spots for diving and snorkeling. Indonesia had just earned The Best Dive Destination award in the recent World Travel Market event in London last month," Pitana said recently.

He said the upcoming sales mission events held in Macao's Royal Hotel and Hong Kong's Kimberly Hotel were highly expected to successfully tap the momentum prior to year-end vacation this year.

Indonesia's upcoming tour package sales events were particularly expected to attract more tourists from the Chinese mainland to visit Indonesia via Hong Kong.

Source - China Daily

2018

What we go do in 2018

First of all we go bypass Facebook and go use this sinking social media as second.

We go change Facebook on different ways.

Follow us and become more Traffic and Likes.

We like to make you curious, but be alert.

Be continued

#Thailand, Phuket - Join Asia’s top marathon festival.

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An international running event with a carnival atmosphere

The Phukethon is being billed as Asia’s major international marathon festival, being held for the first time ever in Thailand and welcoming runners from around the world. The event will have a range of international marathon running distances - 42.195 km, 21.1 km, 10 km, with courses certified by the Athletic Association of Thailand (AAT), Asian Athletics Association (AAA), and International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF). The event is being held at Phuket’s Saphan Hin.

On top of the main running events, there will also be the Runtainment program; such as Jelly Beach Run 5 km, and Fun Run – Colour Fun Run and Running Expo with more than 80 international sports brands, music concerts and food festivals in the concept of a Fishermen’s Village, all gathered together in Phuket. The event will run for three consecutive days from December 8-10 at the Saphan Hin Park, a seaside park with a long history and a symbol of Phuket Island.

For further information and registration, contact 

http://www.phukethon.com/what-is-phukethon-en/

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#Thailand - Discovering the Royal Projects

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                             Dr Weerachai Nanakorn will lead a Siam Society study trip to the Royal Projects at Doi Ang Khang and Huai Hong Khrai as well as the small Chiang Mai village of Mae Kampong from January 5 to 7.

The Royal Agricultural Station Ang Khang is located in Fang district and is spread over some 2,000 rai. Within the station compound are nine villages inhabited by four different minority groups – Thai Yai, Black Lahu, Palong and Chinese Yunnanese.

The station is designed for conducting experiments on possible temperate plants to be grown in Thailand as cash substitutes for opium poppy. In 1969, His Majesty the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej gave his private funds to establish the Royal Project Foundation under the directorship of HSH Bhisadej Rajani as the Chairman of Royal Project. The station mainly researches the temperate fruit, exotic flowers and vegetables that can be cultivated to provide a sustainable form of income for the hilltribes. 

Today, almost 50 years on, the valley is a thriving tourist attraction, replete with beautiful gardens and fruit orchards. The project produces a wide variety of temperate fruits including Chinese peaches, Chinese pears, persimmon, plums, grapes, apricots, strawberries, passion fruit, figs, kiwi fruit and pomegranates.
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Huai Hong Khrai Royal Development Study Centre is located in Doi Saket District and was established in 1982 under King Bhumibol’s initiative and driven largely as a result of drought and forest fires caused by extensive forest destruction and poaching. The centre is located in the Pa Khun Mae Kuang National Park, a mountainous and forested region that is heavily degraded where the study centre is located. Studies at the centre encompass watershed development as an appropriate model with forest areas designated for planting three types of forest with four applications: economic crops, fruit trees and firewood, soil conservation and watershed area to engender moisture and recover the degraded area.

The beautiful village of Mae Kampong in Mae On district has long been a source of enjoyment and inspiration to not only the locals that happily reside there, but also to fortunate visitors from around the world. Located just a short distance from the city of Chiang Mai – visitors to Mae Kampong will instantly feel they have stepped back in time, with traditional teak houses dotting the nearby mountains.

Source - The Nation

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Delightful flower festival at Bangkok's Rama IX Park

                             Head for Rama IX Park in the eastern suburbs of Bangkok for one of the most delightful events of the year

One of the most delightful flower festivals in Thailand – the Suanluang Rama IX Flower Festival is taking place again this year from 1-10 December, 2017.

As usual, there are many different flowers and blooms on display in all areas of Suanluang Rama IX Public Park. Highlights also include an exhibition in remembrance of His Majesty the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej and his royally initiated projects in all parts of the country.

There are also booths selling flowers and plants as well as gardening tools. In addition, there are cultural performances from four regions of Thailand, an ornamental plant contest, and a floating market selling food, arts and crafts, and souvenirs.

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Suanluang Rama IX Public Park was built in 1987 to commemorate the 60th birthday of the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej. Covering an area of 500 rai, the park is divided into six sections: ‘Garden of the Great King’ which is home to the Ratchamangkhala Pavilion; ‘Botanic Garden’, the ‘Reservoir’; ‘Romanee Garden’; ‘Water Garden’; and ‘Sanam Rasdara and Sport Center’. In addition, there is an international garden featuring arrangements from different regions of the world. For more information, please visit: www.tourismthailand.org (in English) or suanluangrama9.or.th (in Thai)

The Suanluang Rama IX Public Park is located deep inside Bangkok’s Sukhumvit Soi 103 (Udomsuk) Road. It opens daily from 08.00 – 19.00 Hrs. Admission is 10 Baht.

Source - ThenNation 

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#Thailand - Ko Phi Phi’s Maya Bay ranked 11th best beach in the world.

Phi Phi’s Maya Bay still ranks high among the world’s most beautiful beaches

Although nowadays Maya Beach is hardly considered remote, far from it, it does still rank high among the world’s best beaches, according to a listing of the World’s 50 Best Beaches compiled by FlightNetwork.

The agency consulted more than 600 of the world’s top travel journalists, editors, bloggers and agencies — the people who do this for a living — to gain insight from their opinions and expertise. 

By asking the top travel professionals, FlightNetwork has created the most trustworthy and accurate list out there to inspire travelers and help choose their upcoming winter holiday destinations.

According to the report Maya Beach “will make visitors feel as though they are on the set of a film, sheltered on silky white sands and surrounded by unbelievably memorizing green cliffs and vividly colorful coral. No wonder this has been the setting for many films and attracts thousands of tourists every day. 

Travelers can experience these beautiful and exciting surroundings by taking a private boat trip, snorkeling in aquamarine waters, or stretching out on pillow-like sand while they work on their tan in the usual 10 hours of sunshine a day. 

With an average day at a warm 29°C and water that welcomes you at 27°C, Maya Beach in Koh Phi Phi Le in Thailand is said to be one of the most stunning and accessible islands in the world.”

Source - TheNation

#Malaysian hotel industry in the spotlight over no-headscarf uniform policy

This combination of photographs shows Muslim girls wearing the "hijab" dressed as popular cosplay characters during the "Hijab Cosplay" event in Subang Jaya, outside of Kuala Lumpur.

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 The hotel industry here is under the spotlight over complaints that some female employees are not allowed to wear headscarves while at work.

The Union Network International-Malaysia Labour Centre (UNI-MLC) said in a statement on Monday (Nov 6) that it has received numerous complaints from female hotel employees saying that their management does not allow them to wear a headscarf at work. 

UNI-MLC said students in hospitality and tourism courses have also been instructed to remove their headscarves before going on internships or the company would not hire them.

As a result, some employees have no choice but to remove their headscarf during work before putting it back on after work.

“This policy is practiced in international hotel chains that use the same standard operating procedure on uniforms in all the hotels in their chain globally,” its chairman Samuel Cheah Swee Hee said.

He added that there are many other employment opportunities for Muslim employees including working in the backhouse or choosing to work with one of the many hotels that incorporate the headscarf in its uniform.

"The problem is everyone wants to join the 5-star global hotel brand, but they do not want to follow the uniform policy that is their worldwide standard," he said.

However, the International Women’s Alliance for Family Institution and Quality Education (Wafiq) sees the ban as discriminatory and unnecessary, questioning the need for such restrictions in Muslim-majority Malaysia.

 FOR THE BEST GLOBAL HOTEL & FLIGHT BOOKINGS

Wafiq secretary Hazlin Chong said the local owners of these international hotel chains have a responsibility to raise the issue to its headquarters and ask for flexibility that allows staff to fulfill both religious and work requirements.

“Wafiq does not see wearing the hijab as a deterrence to any Muslim woman to perform her best at work any more than a person who does not wear the headscarf,” Chong said in a statement, calling the move “religious discrimination”.

UNI-MLC has urged the Human Resources Ministry to address this issue and come up with a guideline to avoid any form of discrimination amongst women in the hotel industry.

"By not allowing female Muslim staff to wear headscarves to work, not only does this deny them of their rights to practice their religion freely but also limit them from pursuing a career of their choice," said UNI-MLC president Datuk Mohamed Shafie BP Mammal.

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Source - TheJakartaPost

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